Binghamton University, NYSERDA select fellows for empowerST program

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VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University has selected two fellows for its inaugural cohort of the empowerST Energy Storage Fellowship program. The school selected the fellows

People news: Kelberman Center hires new community relations director

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, People on the Move, Regional News

UTICA, N.Y. — The Kelberman Center recently added Bethany Wendt as its new director of community relations. In this role, Wendt works with leadership to

Pinnacle Employee Services appoints controller

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Insurance & Financial Services, People on the Move

DeWITT, N.Y. — Pinnacle Employee Services, a professional employer organization headquartered in DeWitt, has promoted Alysha Jasewicz, to controller of the company. She previously served

Utica University expects enrollment growth with addition of three new sports

Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism

UTICA, N.Y. — Utica University is adding three new sports to its roster — women’s gymnastics, men’s wrestling, and women’s wrestling — and expects the

Solvay Bank partners with Syracuse University on “Live Local” initiative

Banks & Credit Unions, Construction, Design & Real Estate, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Health Care, Insurance & Financial Services

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Solvay Bank says it’s partnering with Syracuse University on the school’s newly announced “Live Local” initiative to support the City of Syracuse

Helio Health to open new Rochester inpatient center

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Health Care, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Syracuse–based Helio Health is moving into a new location in Rochester that it says will help treat more people with an increased

Development picks up at Iron Pier project in Inner Harbor

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — COR Development Company, LLC, is wrapping things up with the second phase of its Iron Pier development project in the Syracuse Inner Harbor and getting ready to move on to the third phase. The real-estate development company is busy leasing out commercial space in its Iron Pier Apartments, which consists of two four-story

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The real-estate development company is busy leasing out commercial space in its Iron Pier Apartments, which consists of two four-story buildings with 112 apartments and 37,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space.

First opened in 2018, all apartments at Iron Pier are fully occupied and there is a wait list, says Steven Aiello, director of community and external relations and assistant director of finance at COR.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, things moved a little slower when it came to leasing out the commercial space, he says. “Now momentum is really picking up.”

Iron Pier’s first anchor tenant, Meier’s Creek Brewing Company at Inner Harbor, opened this past January. “It’s been a great success this summer, especially with the public,” Aiello says of the taproom and eatery, which is a satellite location for the Meier’s Creek brewery in Cazenovia.

The pub is popular with Iron Pier tenants as well as walkers and bikers enjoying the Inner Harbor, he adds. And now, a new eatery will be opening soon right next door.

Cafe Blue, operated by Blueberries & Lace food truck owner Olivia Orlando, will open later this year next to Meier’s Creek Brewing.

“There has been a lot of demand for coffee and pastries,” Aiello says. The café will be open in the mornings into lunch serving soups, salads, and sandwiches.

“We think it’s going to be the perfect compliment for now and future development,” he says. “We know she (Orlando) is going to do an absolutely fantastic job.”

Orlando’s Blueberries & Lace food truck regularly participates in events in the Inner Harbor, so her food is already well known to residents, Aiello adds. He expects the permitting process to wrap up in early fall with an end-of-year opening planned for the café.

Interest in the remaining commercial space at Iron Pier has picked up significantly now that places like Meier’s Creek and the 315 Beauty Bar salon, which opened in 2019, are up and running. Onondaga County’s planned $85 million aquarium project to create a tourist attraction is only adding to the interest form other businesses wanting to locate in the Inner Harbor, Aiello says.

It all comes together to create a vision for a vibrant waterfront district that is also connected to downtown Syracuse via the Onondaga Creek. The nearly five-mile path runs from the Inner Harbor to Armory Square and beyond to Kirk Park.

COR’s overall plan for the Iron Pier project includes 600 housing units and up to an additional 100,000 square feet of commercial space. The first phase was the Aloft Syracuse Inner Harbor hotel, located at 310 West Kirkpatrick St. “Having all that built together … really is what makes these live, work, play, dine locations successful,” Aiello notes.

“It’s not just about how many buildings can be built,” he says. “A big part of this is events and programming.” It’s about having businesses that serve the daily needs of tenants and activities for tenants and others to enjoy.”

That said, with a waiting list for housing, COR is moving forward with its third planned phase of Iron Pier and is currently designing senior housing and a new building that will hold more market-rate apartments.

Between the amenities already in place, the aquarium, and even the potential for a chip fabrication plant in Onondaga County, Aiello says things are looking bright for the Syracuse Inner Harbor and the region as a whole. “The outlook for upstate is very positive.”

Phase 1 of I-81-replacement project begins this fall

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SYRACUSE — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is planning to get started with the Interstate 81 viaduct-replacement project this fall. However, as of late August, the department hadn’t yet chosen a specific date, a NYSDOT spokesman told CNYBJ in an email message. The six-year, $2.25 billion project will replace the elevated viaduct

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SYRACUSE — The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is planning to get started with the Interstate 81 viaduct-replacement project this fall.

However, as of late August, the department hadn’t yet chosen a specific date, a NYSDOT spokesman told CNYBJ in an email message.

The six-year, $2.25 billion project will replace the elevated viaduct of Interstate 81 (I-81) through downtown Syracuse.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and NYSDOT on May 31 signed the final documents for the project. NYSDOT then posted the formal record of decision (ROD) later that week.

“Construction will begin later this fall on the community grid alternative,” NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said in her remarks on May 31, announcing the signing in speaking with reporters. “This has been a long time coming, to say the least. But, out of all of the options that we thoroughly studied, the community grid alternative represents a generational opportunity for the city of Syracuse and its surrounding communities.” She spoke beneath the elevated viaduct across Erie Boulevard from the Erie Canal Museum.

The elevated portion of I-81 won’t go out of service until sometime in 2025.

At $2.25 billion, it represents the largest Upstate project that NYSDOT has ever undertaken, she noted.

The first phase will last about three years through 2025, with the second phase beginning in 2026 and slated to be complete by the end of 2028, Mark Frechette, NYSDOT’s I-81 project director, said. Central New Yorkers should also keep in mind that the elevated portion of I-81 won’t go out of service until sometime in 2025, he stressed.

Frechette called the record of decision a “major milestone” for the I-81 project.

“It is the final selection of the … community grid alternative, not only by the state of New York but also by the Federal Highway Administration,” he said. Frechette and additional members of the NYSDOT team working on the project joined Dominguez for the signing announcement.

As part of the multi-billion project, the existing elevated structure “that has divided the City of Syracuse for decades and disproportionately impacted residents of color” will be replaced by a new Business Loop 81 with an integrated community grid that will disperse traffic along local north-south and east-west streets, per the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul. Portions of Interstates 481 and 690 will also be reconstructed to accommodate high-speed traffic going around and through the city.

Zoey Advertising expands to larger Syracuse office

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Small Business, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Zoey Advertising has a new home base after moving to 906 Spencer St. this past May. Along with having it renovated to suit the agency’s needs, it also has room to house its growing staff. While many businesses in the advertising industry cut staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoey Advertising did the opposite,

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While many businesses in the advertising industry cut staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoey Advertising did the opposite, growing from 12 to 15 employees.

Owner Steve Roberts attributes that growth to the agency’s strategy, which isn’t just about selling ads. “Our clients are really more partners than they are customers,” he says. “There are lots of places that will sell ads. I don’t want to sell ads. I want to create a strategy.”

The philosophy not only helped the agency’s existing clients during the pandemic, but also brought in new clients as Zoey worked with them to navigate the ever-changing pandemic landscape, he says.

Formerly housed in about 2,000 square feet above Harbor View Wine and Liquors at 936 N. Clinton St., Zoey Advertising now occupies more than 3,000 square feet in its new location.

“We built specific spaces here,” Roberts notes. One thing needed was more studio space for “The Local Show” radio program the agency hosts on WSYR radio. The program — which airs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays and again from 7-9 a.m. on Sundays —features an ongoing “conversation” between Zoey Advertising and local business owners.

The new Spencer Street office includes a custom-built recording studio instead of a space modified to serve as a studio, Roberts says. “We’ve also got expanded areas to do video and photography.”

The larger office also provides more office space and a large “think tank” space for meetings between staff and clients.

“It’s a more productive space, a more collaborative space,” he says.

While he could have moved the agency anywhere, Roberts chose to stay in Syracuse. “We wanted to be in the city of Syracuse,” he says. The new location is convenient for both employees and clients and provides plenty of parking.

The space also provides room to grow further, Roberts notes. While he’s happy with the current staffing level, the agency has several opportunities to grow via new clients that would require even more staff. “I can’t believe how many opportunities,” he says.

Zoey Advertising currently has about 25 clients at any given time. Regular clients include Geddes Federal Savings and Loan, New York State Maple, Clinton’s Ditch – The Pepsi Place, The Syracuse Nationals, and Heid’s of Liverpool.

The agency (www.zoeyadvertising.com) provides an array of services to match the marketing strategy it develops with each client. They include photography and videography services, audio and video commercial production, web development, and social media. Zoey even has licensed drone visual creators on its team, Roberts notes.

He started Zoey Advertising in 2010 after suffering an injury in a car accident and leaving his previous job as an outreach director for a Christian ministry. His recovery was long, and he started Zoey on a part-time basis while he healed.

Roberts named the agency after his dog Zoey, a soft-coated Wheaten terrier who comes to work with him every day and makes sure to greet every client.

Syracuse Community Health targets June 2023 move-in date for new office

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Health Care, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE — Syracuse Community Health is looking forward to next June when it anticipates moving into its new office building, currently under construction at 930 S. Salina St. in Syracuse. The location is just down the street from its current building. Syracuse Community Health (SCH) on Aug. 25 held a beam-raising ceremony at the construction

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SYRACUSE — Syracuse Community Health is looking forward to next June when it anticipates moving into its new office building, currently under construction at 930 S. Salina St. in Syracuse.

The location is just down the street from its current building. Syracuse Community Health (SCH) on Aug. 25 held a beam-raising ceremony at the construction site as work continues.

Syracuse Community Health is the rebranded name of the Syracuse Community Health Center, currently located at 819 S. Salina St.

“This project has been a long time coming,” Mark Hall, president and CEO of Syracuse Community Health, said to open his remarks at the Aug. 25 event.

Hall explained that 20 years ago, when Dr. Ruben Cowart was CEO and Hall was CFO, the organization bought the former Superior Electric property on which the new building is under construction. When Syracuse Community Health bought the property, the goal at the time was to construct a new building.

Its new brand identity, logo design, and website “reflects out deep roots in the community and our long-term commitment to serve them. The new tagline, ‘healthy happens here,’ offers a promise that people can get the patient care they need from Syracuse Community Health,” per an SCH news release.

A “downsize”

The upcoming facility will replace the 70-year-old current office. It will join the organization’s already established SCH offices at 1938 E. Fayette St. and 603 Oswego St. in Syracuse.

The new building will be a 56,000-square-foot structure, which Hall describes as a “downsize” compared to the 78,000 square feet available at the current location.

“This will actually now allow us to see more patients than we actually see at [the] larger building,” Hall noted.

He went on to say that certain services will remain in the existing office, such as billing and information technology. The services that will stay there will get renamed psychiatric and substance-abuse services.

The existing building won’t be entirely full when the new location opens, so SCH intends to “reimagine” some of the space within the facility. Hall said. SCH will announce future plans for the existing building before the end of this year.

Hueber-Breuer Construction Co., Inc. of Syracuse is the general contractor on the project, and King + King Architects, also based in Syracuse, designed the facility.

Services provided

The new medical facility will have services that include primary care, dental services, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, eye care, podiatry, and administrative offices. The behavioral health and urgent-care center will remain at the current offices, which are for future renovation, per the release.

The SCH project, “when it’s all said and done,” will total about $23 million to $25 million, Hall noted.

A large portion of that will come from grant funding from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).

“We received $19 million … [and $18 million] of that $19 million goes toward the building of this new building and then another million … $1.2 million is for our east side locations … renovations there,” he said.

“This community deserves this building,” New York State Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter (D–Syracuse) said in her remarks. “It’s been a long time coming but our community and the investment … it’s definitely worth it for the people who live and work here.”

Hunter told the gathering she previously worked at the Syracuse Community Health Center “for several years.”

In his remarks, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said Hunter has “seen the potential in this neighborhood for a long time and has been planting those seeds.” And now the community is “starting to those seeds grow.”

“If you haven’t noticed, we’ve had a number of groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings literally within one-block radius just over the past year,” Walsh noted, referring to the SCH project, the Salina 1st project, and the new headquarters and manufacturing facility for JMA Wireless.

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